I think failure is too strong a word… | OneFootball

Newcastle United fans have just seen the 2024/25 Premier League season come to its end.

A season that has proved to be quite magnificent.

As one season ends though, thoughts immediately turn to what comes next, only 11 weeks to go until the 2025/26 Premier League kicks off.

An ideal time to get a snapshot of views from Newcastle United fans on their thoughts, both on the season that has just ended AND what is to now follow.

So we sent out questions to a number of regular/irregular contributors to The Mag.

Next up answering the questions we have The Armchair Fan:

Three words to describe how you currently feel as a Newcastle fan?

Happy

Optimistic

Excited

Three words to describe Newcastle United now?

Ambitious

Stable

Cup-winners!

Does 2024/25 now rank as your favourite ever Newcastle United season?

It has got to be up there! To win a trophy AND qualify for the Champions League in the same season is a huge achievement. It’s definitely been the most successful season of my thirty years following the Toon, maybe not my personal ‘favourite’ though.

Which are your three favourite previous NUFC seasons (before 2024/25) and why?

I’m certainly going to be in the minority with some of my choices here! You’ll have to hear me out mind as the reasons for two are deeply personal and certainly not based on any type of success on the pitch!

1997/98 was a terrible season for NUFC which was in tatters before it even started when Alan Shearer sustained a long-term injury on the day Sir

Les was ludicrously sold to Spurs. For me personally though, it was the first season I was able to regularly attend matches. I went to all four home Champions League games including the qualifier (three wins), domestic cup ties with Stevenage and Hull (both wins) as well as fairly poor league defeats to both Wimbledon and Crystal Palace. One of my favourite ever memories is being behind the goal when Asprilla completed his hattrick against Barcelona. The atmosphere that night was incredible and the noise was deafening.

We also made our first FA Cup final for twenty-four years and my whole school was decked out in black and white for the week of the match. As a twelve year old, this was really exciting even though the final didn’t exactly live up to expectations.

Another choice of mine that won’t be on many lists is the 2000/01 season that, again, completely failed to live up to expectations. This was, however, the first season I had a season ticket due to the stadium expansion. We finished a fairly poor eleventh in the league and went out of both domestic cups early on but people forget none of the top six came away from St James’ with all three points. Highlights included early wins over Derby and Tottenham as well as victories against Liverpool and Leeds and a draw with Man U. On the other hand, missing late penalties in defeats against both Sunderland and Middlesbrough still haunt me to this day!

This should be a more popular choice – the 2001/02 season was absolutely epic! We only signed two players in the summer but Bellamy and Robert absolutely revolutionised the Toon and added some much needed pace to Sir Bobby’s team. Shearer and Dyer among others returned from long-term injuries and we regularly ripped teams apart. We gained a reputation for being the comeback kings and I was lucky enough to be behind the goal at Elland Road when we came from 3-1 down to win in the last-minute. We were top of the league at Christmas and there was serious talk about a challenge for the title. We beat Man United, Arsenal, Tottenham and experienced our first derby victory for six years on the way to qualifying for the Champions League. Happy days!

Talk us through how it was for you, on the last day of the 2024/25 season (Your emotions, how it all played out, where you were watching it (at SJP or wherever), who you shared it with?

I was extremely confident in the week leading up to this and thought it was just a formality that we’d get the job done – never a good idea where Newcastle United are concerned! Even at halftime, I felt fairly relaxed. The nerves started to really kick in throughout the second half and when Everton scored I was downright miserable!

Thankfully the news from Old Trafford ensured the day wasn’t a complete disaster and I raised a glass to Man United in celebration that night, something I never thought I’d do.

Have you at any point during his time at Newcastle United, thought that Eddie Howe’s position should be under question?

No, I never thought it should have been under threat. I could however feel pressure building on him early on in December after we lost 4-2 to Brentford. We were on a poor run of form and in a deeply disappointing twelfth place in the league. Thankfully he’s turned it around to ensure the most successful season in living memory. As the first manager in seventy years to lift a domestic trophy for NUFC, I firmly believe he deserves a statue outside St James Park (or a new stadium if there is one) and look forward to the day when it’s built. He came in during a relegation battle and has qualified for two Champions League campaigns as well as winning a trophy. Legend!

Your favourite three moments in NUFC Premier League matches this past season?

Drawing 3-3 with Liverpool on a crazy night that reminded us we were capable of competing with the very best.

Beating Man United at Old Trafford. Always a pleasure!

Tonali’s early goal in the crucial six pointer with Chelsea. A dream start in such an important match.

Sunderland are now back in the same division as NUFC, your thoughts?

I may be in the minority here but I absolutely love derby days (or rather I love the aftermath of winning derby days!). Nothing gets the blood pumping like a match against Sunderland and it really takes our celebrations to the next level every time we score against them, especially when it puts us ahead on the way to a famous victory. I think it’ll give a whole generation of Toon fans the opportunity to experience the passion of the Tyne-Wear derby. Even those that wanted Sunderland to stay down will be looking for them first when the fixtures are released in June. We owe them two massive beatings, let’s hope we deliver!

What would represent success in the 2025/26 season for Newcastle United?

Qualification for the Champions league again. We’ve achieved that three times in my lifetime but have never done it twice in a row. To push on we really need to consolidate ourselves as a team that regularly competes with (and sometimes beat) the very best teams on the continent.

What do you see as the minimum to achieve this coming season?

As above. Anything else would be a bonus. Wouldn’t mind another trophy though if you’re really going to twist my arm!

Predict the top six in the Premier League (in order) and which three clubs will be relegated.

Man City

Liverpool

Arsenal

Newcastle

Chelsea

Villa

All three promoted teams to go straight back down, especially as we won’t be gifting the Mackems six points this time around.

Name a Newcastle player who you think could be a massive surprise success this coming

I’ve really liked the look of Osula and think he has all the attributes of a top, top striker. He looks hungry as well and clearly loves life on the Toon. He was desperately unlucky not to net against Chelsea and Birmingham in the cups but scored well-taken goals against Bromley and Southampton. He might not be ready to step up to lead the line just yet if (God forbid) Isak was injured but if he progresses throughout this coming season, he could be a real handful in 26/27.

Who do you see as the six most important current Newcastle players (in order) for next (2025/26) season?

Isak

Tonali

Burn

Joelinton

Top four all three seasons without a shadow of a doubt. Last season I was asked whether I’d rather we won a cup or qualified for the Champions League and (rather cheekily) answered ‘can’t I have both?’ I never dreamed that would actually come true!

On a serious note, I feel regularly competing in the Champions League takes us to the next level and allows us to strengthen the squad each season as our best players will want to stay and other top targets will want to join. Stay a part of the top four for the next three years and more success will follow…hopefully in the form of a few more of those big, shiny things!

What do you think was the key moment in the 2024/25 season, the turning point maybe, which then set us eventually on track to success?

The defeat at Brentford. Like I said earlier – we were twelfth in the league at that point but went on an incredible run of form afterwards. We beat Leicester 4-0 the week after with a brace from Murphy and he turned into a world-beater from that point on. Something amongst the whole team clicked after that Brentford defeat and I’d love to know what Eddie said and did in the aftermath that brought about such a dramatic improvement that culminated in not only winning a cup but finishing in the top five having enjoyed five months of brilliant form.

If Newcastle United had ended up outside the Champions League places on the final day, would this last season have had a bit of failure attached to it?

I think failure is too strong a word but it would have been a huge disappointment as well as led to a lot of anxiety around losing our better players over the summer. It would also have ended a good season on a slightly sour note which would have been a real shame under the circumstances. The final day of the season that we finally managed to win a trophy should always be one of celebration. Thankfully results elsewhere ensured that was still the case.

Which players do you think would be ideal (and realistic) signings this summer (don’t feel limited to only players who have been linked to Newcastle United in the media)?

James Trafford

Eberechi Eze

Justin Kluivert

Chris Wood

Marc Guehi

Bryan Mbeumo

Any Newcastle players you would be ok with leaving, that might surprise other NUFC fans (Including any where you think the money received for them and the extra PSR flexibility it would give, could then lead to an overall better team/squad)

I think Wilson’s time on Tyneside has come to an end and he’d make a brilliant championship striker providing he can stay fit.

I also think Longstaff and Willock may be moving on too. I really like Gordon but he’s been off the pace since his red card in the FA Cup, Barnes has come in and really taken his chance. If a huge offer comes in for Gordon then we should definitely consider it.

If we sign a ‘keeper to rival Pope then it would make sense to ship Dubravka off for decent money.

I consider all of the above to have been brilliant servants to NUFC and if any of them do leave then I’ll wish them all the very best in their career (except when playing against NUFC of course).